GOODFELLOW AIR FORCE BASE, Texas -- The 17th Training Wing celebrated 42 senior airmen selected for promotion to staff sergeant during a release party, Aug. 21.
Air Force officials selected 12,671 senior airmen for promotion to staff sergeant out of the 39,774 eligible Airmen with a selection rate of 31.86 percent in the 26E5 promotion cycle.
“The rubber meets the road now,” said U.S. Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Marcus Naranjo, 17th Training Group senior enlisted leader. “The Air Force is about to give you the most valuable resource we have: the junior enlisted force. You have to lead them with character, you have to lead them with professional competence and you have to lead them from the front.”
Promotion to staff sergeant marks a pivotal point in an Airman’s career where they transition from developing supervisory and leadership skills to applying those new skills as frontline supervisors and noncommissioned officers.
Staff sergeants are directly responsible for supervising Airmen, ensuring mission accomplishment and unit cohesion through structured feedback and mentorship. By enforcing military standards, discipline and training, staff sergeants prepare Airmen to meet operational requirements and contribute to the overall effectiveness of their units.
Congratulations to the 17th Training Wing’s newest staff sergeant selects:
Senior Airman Adrian Burrell, 517th Training Group
Senior Airman Adrian Gallegos Apodaca, 9th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron
Senior Airman Mia Lyons, 316th Training Squadron
Senior Airman Jeffery Johnson, 17th Communications Squadron
Senior Airman Nathan Acosta, 17th Communications Squadron
Senior Airman Samantha Akers, 17th Security Forces Squadron
Senior Airman Christian Del Mazo, 17th Security Forces Squadron
Senior Airman Renee Nicole Finona, 17th Training Wing Public Affairs
Senior Airman Maura Goodwin, 17th Security Forces Squadron
Senior Airman Tyler Hammond, 17th Communications Squadron
Senior Airman Dominique Ingram, 17th Logistic Readiness Squadron
Senior Airman Bradley Karrington, 17th Communications Squadron
Senior Airman Cade Kennedy, 316th Training Squadron
Senior Airman Everette Latson, 315th Training Squadron
Senior Airman Samiya Little, 17th Communications Squadron
Senior Airman Kadenjoseph Lizama, 17th Training Support Squadron
Senior Airman Sara Meza, 315th Training Squadron
Senior Airman Nassir Murchison, 316th Training Squadron
Senior Airman Benjamin Preidis, 17th Security Forces Squadron
Senior Airman Ruben Reyes, 17th Contracting Squadron
Senior Airman Mouhamed Sarr, 17th Contracting Squadron
Senior Airman Trey Watts, 17th Training Wing Judge Advocate
Senior Airman Tanner Haver, 312th Training Squadron
Senior Airman David Keith, 315th Training Squadron
Senior Airman Jerico Montenejo, 312th Training Squadron
Senior Airman Marie Galeng, 311th Training Squadron
Senior Airman Matthew Straka, 517th Training Group
Senior Airman Margaux Blackbriar, 314th Training Squadron
Senior Airman Anthony Chieffo, 314th Training Squadron
Senior Airman Jake Hanson, 314th Training Squadron
Senior Airman Grant Howhittier, 314th Training Squadron
Senior Airman McKenzie Roff, 314th Training Squadron
Senior Airman Phillip Safran, 314th Training Squadron
Senior Airman Jacob Day, 311th Training Squadron
Senior Airman Marina Harb, 311th Training Squadron
Senior Airman Shauna Mather, 311th Training Squadron
Senior Airman Caleb Houston, 316th Training Squadron
Senior Airman John Dickson, Goodfellow Medical Group
Senior Airman Ailynn Findley, Goodfellow Operational Medical Readiness Squadron
Senior Airman Gregory Taylor, Goodfellow Healthcare Operations Squadron
Senior Airman Mia Baldwin, Goodfellow Operational Medical Readiness Squadron
Senior Airman Breanna Centeno, Goodfellow Operational Medical Readiness Squadron